


Path not taken

by rdm2



Series: White wolf's pack [1]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Found Family, Gen, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia is Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon's Parent, Good Parent Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:53:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27726439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rdm2/pseuds/rdm2
Summary: Queen Calathene becomes threatened by the idea of Ciri growing up to become a witcher, and plans to kill her. Pavetta and Duny fake her death and hand her off to Geralt to raise. Geralt has no clue how to raise a toddler. Please send him help.
Series: White wolf's pack [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2028088
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	Path not taken

Geralt frowned at the storm clouds gathering overhead. He did not want to come back to Cintra, but here he was, not even two years later, heading up to on the outskirts of the city. He had received a letter from Pavetta telling him he needed to come to Cintra. She gave him the name of an inn and told him that a room would already be paid for. The only clue she gave him was that it was about the law of surprise and that it was of utmost importance he came right away.  
He sighed. Geralt regretted ever invoking the law of surprise. He knew better than to do that, what was he thinking! He got off Roach and tied her to the post. If he wasn’t here long he didn’t want to use a stable.

As he entered the inn he frowned to see Duny sitting in a corner, a baby sling wrapped around him. He goes and sits next to him. “Is something wrong?”

“Not here, come on I got a room,” He sounded so tired. Geralt followed quickly behind. 

They entered the last door on the left, to find another guest. “Mousesack, wait what is going on?”

“In a word, Calanthe” Duny shook her head, “Pavetta is distracting her for now but...” He looked worried and reeked of fear, which was unusual for him, even at the worst of the feast he didn’t smell so afraid. “They’ve been fighting pretty much since the betrothal feast.”

“Winning the argument against her then has emboldened her, no longer is she content with waiting to heal the kingdom when she gains the throne later.” Mousesack injects. “She is not happy with the way her mother rules, and Calanthe is dismissive of her beliefs.”

“Okay, good for her? I don’t see what the issue is.”

“They’ve mainly been arguing about non-human rights, and well,” Duny paused, “She brought up that Cirilla is yours by law of surprise, and traditionally witchers took children as child surprises to make more witchers, she asked her mother whether if little Cirilla was no longer human, would she still love her.”

“Calanthe blew up, it was the worst of their fights. That night she summoned me in private” Mousesack looked exhaustingly old at this, “She wished for me to kill young Ciri ‘while she was still human’ it apparently the only way to preserve the family honor.”

“What!” Geralt was shocked, “I already told all of you I’m not planning on claiming her as such, the schools are gone, there will be no more witchers.”

“I know my friend, believe me I know, I barely got you to agree to a more godfatherly role.” He sighed, “one of the roles for a godfather is to take care of a child if the family is dead, or unable to.” His voice broke on the last word, looking defeated. “Geralt please I, we, Cirilla needs you to claim her by law of surprise.”

“What, Duny no, there's got to be another way,”

“Not with Calanthe after her blood, I have a plan if Pavetta and I need to flee, but I can’t take Cirilla into that warzone. Please Geralt, I need you to protect her.” He looked straight in Geralt’s eyes. 

“We have a plan to fake her death, a fake body, there will be an ‘assassination’ attempt at the place tonight and the little princess will be the only victim.”

Geralt ran his hand through his hair. “Pavetta knows about this?” He asked already knowing the answer.

“Her idea.” Was the reply.

“I, fine, I’ll take her.”

Duny takes his child out of the sling and hands her to Geralt. “Fuck, she’s so small,” he mutters suddenly terrified. 

“We have money for a goat too, as well as other supplies.”

“I don’t need charity.” 

“It’s for Cirilla, and giving you coin is less suspicious than handing you a goat to feed her.”

Geralt couldn’t stop staring at her, most people didn’t want witchers around their kids, especially not this small.

“My friend, you must slip away with her, and quickly. We are going to set up the fake assassination, and when it happens the whole city will go into lockdown. Please ride as far as you can.” Duny had tears in his eyes, he walked over to his child who had begun to stir unhappily. As he stroked her hair he whispered, so softly no human could hope to hear, “Hush, va calm mijn luned, de vatt'ghern esse zorg aen thu.” Well this confirmed an old suspicion of his.

Then he straightened himself, and both men left, bag of gold on the bed. “Well fuck.”

He looked down at his new, fuck his new daughter, he had a daughter now. Okay panic later, need to leave now. He hid her under his cloak, slipping out of the inn and out of the city as quickly as possible while not drawing attention to himself. Holding the reins in one hand he guided Roach through the city. He pushed Roach into a gallop as soon as he was out of sight. 

"Fuck." Ciri stirred against his chest. "What the fuck do kids eat, and what do they need. Should have got a list from them. Should probably get a sling at least" He started heading to the nearby town of Hochebuz for supplies. And fuck. "How the fuck am I supposed to do contracts like this. Fuck."  
Okay, Hochebuz for supplies and then Kaer Morhen. Hopefully, Vesemir will know what to do. 

He slowed Roach down once they had gotten a good distance away. This was going to be interesting. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He changed his mind, this was hell. Ciri had woken up and was not happy about being with a stranger. He covered his ears. “Ciri,”

Ciri stopped crying and looked up at him. “Mama?”

Geralt sighed. “No mama,” How the fuck to explain this to a kid. “You're gonna travel with me for a bit.” 

“No mama?”

“No sorry kid.”

She grabs his cloak and covers her face with it sniffling. Geralt hums low in his throat, hoping to calm her. Maybe it works, maybe it’s Roach’s slow gait, but she falls back to sleep against him. 

Thankfully the next time she woke, she didn't scream. She seemed more interested in watching the scenery pass wide-eyed. He was closing in on the town, and was nervous about how the town was going to react. 

Head down he enters the town and heads to the market. Looking into the stalls trying to figure out what he needed to get. “Looking for something?” An old woman peers out suspiciously from a stall.

Ciri pokes her head out. “Hi.” She looks around at the market, rubbing her eyes.

“Oh, and where is your mother?” 

He paused choosing his words, “She’s... unable to care for her.”

Her suspicious look drops “Oh you poor dears.”

“I just found out. I, um, don’t know what I need for the road for her.”

“Here follow me,” She grabbed his hand, leading him to different stalls, handing him this and that. He just manages to hand off enough coin to the merchants before being pulled to the next stall. A sling, a bowl, a smaller bed roll, cloth diapers, a small bell on a string, he tilts his head confusedly at her, “Makes it easier to keep track of where she is,” clothes, and food.

“Doll,” Ciri grabbed out for a doll at a nearby stall, causing him to have to grab her before she fell off Roach. The older woman hands her the doll, patting her hand, before moving on. The last thing she hands him is a group of four stakes about two feet long with bolts of cloth. “Should help keep her in one place, if not, you're gonna want one of those.” she pointed to a group of sown together straps with another strap clipped to it, “so she doesn’t wander too far off.” She nods, “now be a good girl for your papa, little one.” And wanders off back to her own stall. 

Feeling as though he had passed through a hurricane, and with a significantly lighter purse, Geralt left Hochebuz for home.


End file.
